February is American Heart Month and Henry County Public Health wants to help you monitor your blood pressure because high blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. Public Health will offer free blood pressure checks on a walk-in basis every Tuesday in February from 8am-4pm. High blood pressure usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it. Measuring your blood pressure is the only way to know whether you have high blood pressure.
High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can occur because of lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity, dietary choices, tobacco use, and too much alcohol. Certain health conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, can also increase the risk for developing high blood pressure. And high blood pressure can occur during pregnancy. Knowing your numbers is an important first step to making sure yours are in a healthy range, which is why Public Health encourages you to stop in and have your blood pressure checked if it has been high in the past or if you haven’t had it checked in a while. Let’s work together to support a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Henry County Public Health is located at 106 N. Jackson Street in Mt. Pleasant. If you have questions call Public Health at 319-385-0779 or follow them at Facebook.com/HealthyHenryCounty for the latest news.